Cubist gets right to Astellas' ceftolozane

Astellas Pharma gives Cubist Pharmaceuticals rights to ceftolozane in certain Asia Pacific and Middle East territories. Ceftolozane, in combination with tazobactam can be used to treat intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) and complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) caused by Gram negative bacteria

Astellas Pharma gives Cubist Pharmaceuticals rights to ceftolozane

Singapore: Cubist Pharmaceuticals and Astellas Pharma entered into an agreement under which Cubist will obtain the rights to ceftolozane in certain Asia Pacific and Middle East territories from Astellas. With the attainment of these rights, Cubist now owns worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize ceftolozane/tazobactam.

Ceftolozane, in combination with tazobactam (ceftolozane/tazobactam or CXA 201), is currently being studied in two pivotal phase III trials as a potential first-line intravenous therapy for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) and complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI) caused by certain Gram negative bacteria, including those caused by multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Top-line data readouts from these two clinical trials are expected in the second-half of 2013. Cubist anticipates filing a New Drug Application (NDA) for ceftolozane/tazobactam in cUTI and cIAI approximately six months after announcing top-line results from the phase III trials. Cubist plans to begin phase III studies in nosocomial pneumonia around mid-year 2013.

The FDA granted a Qualified Infectious Disease Products (QIDP) designation for all three indications and granted fast track status for ceftolozane/tazobactam in cIAI. As a result of the QIDP designation, if ceftolozane/tazobactam is ultimately approved by the FDA, it would also receive a five-year extension of Hatch-Waxman exclusivity.

Cubist previously obtained the rights, outside of the Asia Pacific and Middle East territories, to develop and commercialize ceftolozane/tazobactam through its acquisition of Calixa Therapeutics in December 2009.